Wizard of Wire and the Guru of Gas Point the Way

June 2010 Issue 15 www.tat.net.au

Convention coverage in August 2010 edition - subscribe to TaT so you don’t miss out!

The Wizard of Wire and the Guru of Gas point the way

‘s a fact problem solving • A bouncing speedo caused by a faulty sensor on a Holden Barina • A dodgy a/c module caused this Toyota Echo to overheat in traffic • A wiring harness rubbing on $115 gives you: a drive shaft caused havoc • 12 months subscription to TaT for this Holden Barina XC • Six magazines mailed to your postal address • So many things went wrong • Access to illustrated solutions on line when a short killed the EGR • Problem solving service plug on a VW Golf APPLY ON PAGE 33 HANATECH TECHNOLOGY

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New Generation Scan Tools Call 02 9905 8055 www.hanatech.com.au for your nearest national distributor As we said right at the beginning appreciate that we are independent with Ken Newton of our new enterprise, the TaT role and that we offer high quality is to harness the skills of those technical articles, written by our who have them, and share them own people, and that we don’t he vast majority of While this amount of time for with the technicians of Australasia. fill the pages with commercial technicians who bother to training over a long weekend might The dream was to stimulate a handouts. This magazine’s winning read my rantings in this Up seem small, there is no doubt huge network of expertise, where formula is based clearly on editorial Tfront column will, regrettably, that the information gained by technicians who may have only integrity. have already missed out on technicians can significantly add one particular skill on one particular one of the greatest training to their knowledge and make them type of vehicle, would willingly Our popularity explains why this events of the year, the Wire & better technicians. share their knowledge with fellow issue is a little fatter than usual, at Gas Training Convention and technicians. We wanted to break 40 pages. It is a special convention Trade Show in Surfers Paradise. And as we have said so many down the barriers of competition issue, and it may well be that we This two-yearly event, hosted times, better technicians usually with each other and present a bold will return to our normal 32 pages by the industry network VASA, earn better money, and they new and professional face to the in the next issue. However, we will is without doubt a unique enjoy greater job satisfaction than car driving community. It seems to be delighted if we have to increase gathering in which hard-nosed those who just coast along on be working, judging by the number our page numbers on a regular training has pushed the talk- the knowledge they gained from of subscribers to the TaT network basis. fest of keynote speakers well college. and the feedback we are getting, into the background. Wire & not just from the technicians, but And in answer to the couple of Gas is a working convention This issue of TaT is somewhat from the bigger end of town. comments we received about our - with a little fun attached. But focussed on training and magazine becoming ‘full of ads’, it traditionally attracts only knowledge. In The Last Word, We are intensely proud of the we assure readers that we intend 300 or so technicians and TAFE teacher Richard Jordan fact that, with little effort on our to strictly maintain a good balance exhibitor staff when the potential makes no bones about the part, major companies that supply of advertising to editorial and news audience could well be upwards relationship of knowledge to job superior tools and equipment to the pages. Let’s be honest. Without of 20,000 technicians. It’s the success. trade have adopted this magazine advertising, we can’t bring the only training convention of to present their message to the editorial messages to you. its kind that caters to a wide You will also notice the heavy technicians of Australasia. This is range of automotive technology, training program over the next the ultimate compliment. Anyone As well, we like to think that the from hybrid vehicles to air five months to which TaT’s head in business will know how difficult advertising we carry is of such conditioning. trainer Jeff Smit has committed the advertising market is at present interest and quality, that it serves his considerable energies and and companies with advertising a valuable role in informing Each delegate is offered a total resources. dollars spend them very wisely technicians about new tools and of 7.5 hours of solid training with by picking their marks carefully. ideas essential to their craft. their choice of 5 of the 10 training At the Wire & Gas Convention over It seems that those advertisers sessions available. The biggest the long weekend in June, half of who research the market have In coming issues, we will attempt trade show devoted solely to the expert trainers come from the concluded that this magazine to bring you many highlights of the auto electrical, cooling and air TaT stable. has the credibility and readability Wire & Gas Convention. But it still conditioning is a bonus. to support their messages. They won’t be as good as being there.

The team Contents

Publisher International correspondents Cover story: Don’t fear the future………4, 5 The Automotive Technician Pty Ltd Julian Hentze - Georgia USA •TaT Assist •TaT Chat •TaT Train Charges drop for electric cars……………5 ABN 27 121 589 802 Hayley Windsor - Australia •TaT’s a Fact •Tips for TaT New refrigerant approved………………6 Hybrid highs and temperature overloads…7 72 Holtermann Street - are all registered trade names of Reader The pesky Pulsar ………………………8 CROWS NEST NSW 2065 Bron Robinson The Automotive Technician Pty Ltd. The needles needed needling……………8 The Automotive Technician Pty Ltd [email protected] You light up my life………………………9 Advertising inquiries publishes technical advice and Ph 1300 828 000 Jeff Smit actual case studies for the Bad brakes! Bad motorist………………9 Fax 1300 828 100 [email protected] purpose of educating technicians. Electric bikes…………………………10

Editor in chief Ph 02 9966 8600 Technician awards……………………11 These advices are given in good Ken Newton Education before the fix………………11 faith, and are based on actual [email protected] Graphic design workshop repairs. No guarantee is Letter from America……………………13 0438 569 517 Russell Jones given, nor any liability accepted in Street Cred……………………………15 Fax 07 5591 8172 Russell Jones Graphic Design respect to any published advice. The world of Diesel Particulate Filter…18 07 5532 2840 0408 123 287 Technical editor TaT’s a Facts………………19, 20, 21, 22 [email protected] The Automotive Technician Pty Ltd Jeff Smit is not responsible for the accuracy Plastic window sliders problem………25 [email protected] of any information contained in Controlled area network Pt 2………26, 27 1300 828 000 Original TaT design standard Allan Green material submitted by third parties Dual Mass Flyweels vs Solid Flywheels…29 Technical research CEO Design and published in this magazine and Murphy’s Law - Keeping Cool…………30 Deyan Barrie accepts no liability in relation to [email protected] Auto electrical no longer boy’s game……31 [email protected] such materials or their content. 02 9476 6277 TaT’s interesting………………………34 Printing Newsworthy articles or comments Cars that sense accidents…….………35 Technical advisers Immij NSW are welcomed, and should be TaT training……………………...……37 Jack Stepanian 3/12 Mars Road, submitted to the editor in chief. Lane Cove The Last Word - Richard Jordan………38 Nick Murphy NSW 2066 All material appearing in The [email protected] Automotive Technician is copyright. The Automotive Technician is a member of www.immij.com.au the Circulations Audit Board. CAB Audited Reproduction in whole or in part is as at September 2009 - 9524 average net Wayne Broady distribution per issue. illegal without prior written consent Average copies mailed by post office or www.broadyauto.com.au Affiliated associations from the editor in chief. mailing house less returns - 7079 per issue. Gil Sher VASA (Automotive Air Conditioning, [email protected] Electrical & Cooling Technicians of All advertisers agree to indemnify Australasia) the publisher for all damages or Garry Reid [email protected] liabilities arising from their published [email protected] or unpublished material.

The Automotive Technician 3 Don’t fear the future but prepare for it! Cover story by Ken Newton

‘There are so many exciting ‘The best part about our industry things happening in the modern is that through globalisation, the vehicle that all technicians technology in most modern cars need to treat themselves by is becoming standardised. For Grant shutting the doors and grabbing example, nearly every vehicle is in a scan tool, a multi-meter, an now is fitted with CAN BUS. This demand oscilloscope, or simply browsing is all good for our industry. And in the huge the vast internet resources to how good is this - today’s car has resource industries of play with motor cars. They need at least 1,200 trouble codes built Western Australia, training to see how the technology works, into its operating systems. Not to technicians to keep the aircon trace circuit diagrams. over-simplify this, but really, it’s healthy in some of the biggest often just a matter of plugging in earth moving equipment in the ‘It has become too easy for a scan tool and following your very two years, a world. Jack has travelled the technicians to flick a vehicle instinct. dedicated few hundred globe introducing new vehicles to a ‘specialist’ because they Eauto technicians feel they don’t have either the to the trade and exploring and ‘I think it’s great that vehicles are gather to renew friendships, explaining the delights of the tools, the knowledge or the time becoming more sophisticated. learn from some of the new century’s vehicles which, to investigate a tricky problem The argument from the country’s greatest trainers, if anything goes wrong, need which may seem beyond their aftermarket that they only get swap diagnostic yarns and those fixing them to have a good scope. What they are doing is to see old cars out of warranty inspect the latest tools and knowledge of fault codes, on- limiting their own opportunity to doesn’t cut any more. The new technologies at the biggest board computers, sensors and value add to their business, their technologies are now seen in trade show devoted solely scan tools. knowledge, their reputation and cars three and five years old. to the auto electrical, air their ability to make more money,’ There is plenty of scope for conditioning and cooling We asked each of them for says Jack. learning and adding to the range components of the motor car. a sneak preview of the main ‘The routine for every technician of diagnostic jobs a workshop messages they will bring to the should be to go to as many can undertake with some It’s called Wire & Gas - electrical Wire & Gas Training Convention formal training sessions or authority. and aircon - and in mid June this and Trade Show. conventions that they can year, it will attract technicians and afford, and then go back to ‘All it needs is a trainers from around Australia Both of them pointed to the the workshop and put it into and New Zealand to the nation’s globalisation of motor car practice with these ‘closed little playtime,’ holiday capital of Gold Coast. manufacturing and the impact doors’ playtimes. I see so many this is having on vehicle technicians leaving conventions Jack says A feature of the convention, technology, and each, in their and training days so puffed up hosted by the professional own style, will deliver some with newly acquired knowledge, Grant Hand acknowledges that workshop network VASA, is very strong messages for those but within a month, they’ve the retail service and repair the gaze into the crystal ball in aftermarket workshops who forgotten it all because they didn’t sectors of the automotive of the industry by two of the might believe they are facing put it into practice - they didn’t industry will know that times are nation’s most entertaining and mounting pressures on their spend the time to play. not getting any easier through a knowledgeable trainers, dubbed ability to earn good money combination of lack of information the Guru of Gas and the Wizard or make a decent profit. It’s a ‘This has to be a continuing or perceived competition, so he of Wire. common complaint among many process. Don’t consider it as a is encouraging technicians and workshops and technicians, chore. It is a golden opportunity their workshops to get back to They are, respectively, Grant but listening to Grant and Jack, to make money, and there’s some business basics, while Hand from Adelaide, head it emerges that this is not so plenty to be made in the following Jack’s advice about of his own training company much an issue of trying to keep vehicle repair world. You will diagnostic basics. Automotive Training Solutions up with technology, but one of find that customers will sense (ATS), and Jack Stepanian individual motivation to grasp the your knowledge. Remember ‘Maintaining market share and from Sydney, a former Holden technology and make it work. the saying - you can’t demand market position has become a College trainer, owner and head respect, you must earn it. A pre-occupation for everyone from consultant of Amazing Visions Jack Stepanian’s challenge is customer can sense that you the small business through to Pty Ltd and more recently, actually quite simple. It’s this. know what you are talking about large multi-franchise operations. technology gun for hire at a Every workshop owner must shut and from that, you will gain service centre on Sydney’s the doors perhaps once a day the respect that will keep that ‘Now, more than ever, business northern beaches. for half an hour, or at least once customer coming through your operations and business a week for a couple of hours, for door regularly. strategies need to be constantly This pair see the bigger picture quality playtime. And he doesn’t of the automotive trade from their evaluated and revised to mean sitting around drinking maintain a viable business. respective, though very different, stubbies and talking about the seats and between them, they money the workshop talk to technicians could have from around earned - if the country only. constantly.

The Automotive Technician 4 Don’t fear the future but prepare for it!

Charges drop for electric cars

For the small business operator Networking and information price war on electric cars has broken out in this may require a total change gaining strategies need to be the US. of thinking,’ Grant says. sourced by all businesses. A ‘Traditionally, small business That simply means making the Nissan started with an announcement about a price cut owners or operators do not, time to attend training courses on their new electric car called the Leaf. Add this cut to and have not, formulated and conventions - they are business plans for short and where most often the early the government incentives for green cars and the price is medium term sustainability. warning signs are given for heading in only one direction - down. This is okay in a stable business emerging technologies and environment, but in today’s diagnostic techniques. The ink was hardly dry on the Nissan announcement turbulent and rapidly changing when competitor, Mitsubishi, dropped the price of its world planning is essential. ‘Information availability is iMiEV by around 20%. crucial because without There are it, it is now impossible to All this, of course, is putting price pressure on other principally four maintain a position with the competitors from CODA to General Motors. GM’s factors that are industry. Unfortunately for the advantage with their Volt is that it doesn’t need to be the initiators of independent aftermarket, large tethered to a recharging station. This is a feature many change within the chunks of vital information potential buyers will consider reassuring. industry: are “dealer only”. That’s why there are organisations which • Globalisation However, based on EV1 and EV Plus drivers’ help individuals to develop experiences in the late 1990s and early this century, • Technological strategies for information Leaf owners who intend this car to be their second family advancements sharing, networking and market vehicle are likely to find it becomes their primary vehicle, • Information and positioning. This activity must relegating the piston-knocker to the garage, dripping oil. its availability be built into every workshop business plan. • Vehicle reliability There are going to be a lot of EV smiles spreading across America later this year and into 2011. ‘The increased reliability of the ‘Globalisation, principally the modern vehicle has changed world car concept, has meant the face of the service and Source www.evworld.com that manufacturers are investing repair sector. The industry large amounts of capital into is becoming increasingly their operations to ensure polarised, with a majority of considered old fashioned, all TaT is sponsoring four out of the they lock the market up. We work being in the maintenance businesses must do a SWOT ten trainers at the convention - have all seen the large, almost and servicing sector, or at the analysis regularly (Strengths, regular readers will recognise Hollywood style shop fronts other end of the scale, larger Weaknesses, Opportunities and them - Jack Stepanian, Gil Sher, aimed at attracting and retaining repairs when something does Threats), and then put strategies Nick Murphy and Gary Reid. customers. This increases the go wrong. The larger repairs in place to ensure medium to pressure on small to medium sector now often involves a long term sustainability of their service operations,’ said Grant. much larger diagnosis and business,’ added Grant. evaluation component than it ‘Technological advancements previously did. Nature, Cause In coming issues, TaT in vehicles pose possibly and Effect evaluation is critical will share with its the biggest challenge for the on today’s vehicles. readers many of the business. We are all aware of presentations by the difficulties facing the small to ‘Although this is a time- trainers at the Wire medium business in keeping up honoured routine and perhaps & Gas Convention. with technology.

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The Automotive Technician 5 R134a has a global warming DuPont and Honeywell chiefs natural refrigerant lobby, which potential of 1430. made a joint announcement that was accused of misinterpreting the two companies will share refrigerant tests by a major 1234 The new refrigerant, developed financial and technological German testing body. Honeywell by DuPont and Honeywell, has a resources to build the world’s first said that many tests by third-party 134 is out global warming potential of only 4, manufacturing facility for the new experts in vehicle safety had well below the EU limit of 150. refrigerant. The two developed the concluded that the use of HFO- product jointly, but will market and 1234yf did not pose a significant the door HFO-1234yf was introduced to the sell it separately. DuPont chiefs flammability risk. In one early test world as a potential replacement say that by working together with on the refrigerant, an oxy welding refrigerant for all mobile use in Honeywell, they are confident they torch was played on HFO-1234yf 2007. will have a world class source leaking from a hose, and this of supply to meet the demand could not get it to ignite. recent announcement by Since then, it has undergone the faster than would have been DuPont and Honeywell same extensive testing for safety possible through either company’s Since HFO-1234yf has pressures seems to have brought and efficacy that R134a went individual efforts. and temperatures significantly Athe big debate on future through before being adopted by lower than carbon dioxide and refrigerants to an end - the the major car makers in the world. While there’s no news yet on similar to R134a, DuPont says world’s 400 million vehicles the price structure of the new servicing is expected to be containing air conditioning Independent testing groups refrigerant compared to R134a, comparable with practices used systems will begin switching such as the SAE International DuPont and Honeywell claim that for R134a. HFO-1234yf is also from R134a to HFO-1234yf Cooperative Research Program, the new refrigerant will enable compatible with most components towards the end of 2011. in which leading car makers the vehicle industry to reduce the and materials used in existing participate, found the new product environmental footprint of cars at MAC systems. HFO-1234yf leaks In the meantime, planning will be offers environmental performance significantly lower cost than the are detectable with conventional under way to design, construct superior to carbon dioxide, an alternatives. leak detectors, and there is and operate a world-scale alternative refrigerant, while no need to change the current manufacturing facility for the having the lowest risk for use in The new refrigerant has been refillable cylinder design due to the new refrigerant as the two big mobile air conditioning systems touted as a drop-in replacement low pressure of HFO-1234yf. companies pool their resources in meeting environmental and for R134a, which means the once again to meet the urgent consumer needs. changeover will not require As a result, HFO-1234yf is expensive retrofits. expected to be suitable for use demands of the European Union, Air conditioning systems using which has decreed that the global in all climates and in all vehicles, HFO-1234yf are more energy There has been some debate warmer R134a must be banished making it an ideal replacement for efficient than carbon dioxide- about the flammability risk forever in all new vehicles from R134a around the world. based air conditioning systems, of HFO-1234yf, but this has 2011 and in all vehicles sold in particularly at high ambient been challenged by Honeywell For more information, go to: Europe by 2017. temperature conditions. The claims were made by the SmartAutoAC.com

The Automotive Technician 6 by Hybrid highs and temperature overloads Jeff Smit

he Toyota Prius and Toyota ‘hybrid synergy drive’ had a number of warning lights the new Toyota Camry style hybrids require water- on and were able to retrieve a hybrid are equipped cooled inverters to keep the code from the hybrid control, withT a power control unit temperature down to safe levels. P0A93. We confirmed no flow by consisting of an inverter, a These systems have an electric checking the reservoir. Next step voltage boosting converter inverter water pump which was to check power and earth Power control unit and an AC/DC converter to run circulates coolant from the supplies to the pump. They were the car on electric motors. inverter to the radiator whenever all OK at 14volts. The pump the car is in Ready mode. was removed. By clamping The inverter converts DC both hoses going to the supplied by the high voltage Circulation is confirmed pump we were able battery to AC to turn the electric by removing the to save the coolant motors and generators. cap on the inverter within the system. coolant reservoir The pump was And, it also converts AC and checking then bench tested Electric inverter water pump location generated by the electric motors for turbulence. If to confirm that it and generators into DC to turbulence is missing, had failed. A new recharge the battery. one of the following could pump was sourced be the problem. from Toyota and fitted. After The voltage boosting re-assembling we checked again converter ‘steplessly’ 1) The electric inverter water for water flow inside the reservoir increases the normal pump has failed and all was OK with a visible 201.6 volt DC supply 2) The pump circuit power flow. Power and earth supply to the pump (a) voltage to a or earth is missing maximum of 3) The cooling system is Those who know me will not be 650 volts AC blocked (eg. kinked hose) surprised to hear that I cut open to feed the 4) The cooling system has an the pump to have a look. The electric motors air pocket, or is low on coolant pictures show that the pump is and generators due to a leak a brushless, electromagnetic as required. This means more motor. I removed the impeller power can be generated from Regardless of the reason, the to find some material in the a small current to bring out lack of circulation will cause camber, but we determined that this was the plastic high performance from the high the inverter to overheat, Power and earth filings from cutting the supply to the pump (b) output motors, enhancing overall setting a trouble unit open. system efficiency. It also means code. On the that the inverter could be made second generation Removing the printed smaller and lighter. Prius (model circuit board wasn’t years 2004-2009) easy. It had a definite The DC/DC converter steps that code is P0A93, down the 201.6 volt supply burnt smell about it, just like Inverter A, cooling an old Magna ECU. I’m not sure voltage from the battery to 12 system performance. volts, to be used by ancillary exactly what changes Toyota Burned out circuit board Diagnosis commonly leads to made to the pumps, but I would systems and electronic devices a faulty water pump, a problem hazard a guess it was in the like the ECU. we’ve seen many times on the electronic section. The story Because of the size of the Prius. ends with a happy customer and Toyota unit and the amount of a happy workshop after learning current passing through it, a lot Toyota has updated the design something new. of heat is created, which must be of the replacement pump to help dissipated for the components with reliability problems. On a That’s what I love about the New Modules TAT Magazine April 2010 Air Conditioning:Australia 4 page Flyer 26/03/2010 10:12 Page 1 to last. vehicle in the workshop, we automotive aftermarket. 4 new features from Autodata Australia Autodata’s new module ’air conditioning service connectors’ is now available on Autodata Essentials and Complete. L H

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The Automotive Technician 7 YOU SAID The case of the pesky Pulsar I removed the old crank angle sensor, IT! put my small camera inside the engine to check the reluctor wheel for anything his case study is an 8/02 Nissan it’s located under the starter at the rear of abnormal, but it all looked OK. The new Pulsar N16 with a QG18DE engine the engine near the R/H driveshaft. crank angle sensor was fitted, the engine and 128,400 km on the clock. was started and the scope pattern checked T While checking the crank angle again. The customer complained that twice in two sensor wiring I noticed the crank angle days the car momentarily stumbled, lost sensor was a very similar type to others To my surprise the scope pattern had power and then instantly came good again. I have had a few problems with on other improved and now was not just OK but At the same time, the ‘check engine’ light cars. excellent. The cam angle sensor was would come on and then go off. replaced, the camera was inserted to I obtained a wiring diagram, then checked check the reluctor and all looked OK. We road tested the car and could not get the wiring at the crank angle sensor. it to fault. Terminal 3 had battery voltage with ignition DTCs were rechecked just to make sure on and terminal 1 had a good earth. none were logged during testing and Connected the scan tool and found code scoping. The car was road tested many P0335 crank position A circuit malfunction. I then decided to scope the crank angle times under different loads and conditions, We cleared the code and road tested sensor terminal 2 (signal wire) and the DTCs were rechecked and all was OK. again. The car would not fault and no code pattern looked OK - quite a good square Another happy customer. was logged. wave form, or so I thought. I reported to the owner and it was decided the crank Time taken was two hours. We performed many basic tests such as angle sensor should be replaced as a battery connections, wiring harnesses and precaution. Jason Smith connectors, paying particular attention JDS Automotive to crank angle sensor harness and When ordering the new crank angle sensor Mooroolbark Vic connector. All checked out OK. I found something very interesting. My aftermarket supplier sold the cam and (You really do get some doozies in your To check the crank angle sensor it is much crank angle sensor only in a pair and they workshop Jason. Thanks again for sharing. easier to put the car on the hoist, because were the same sensors. Ed.)

YOU fine, tacho, speedo, gauges. SAID The needles needed some needling The car seemed to crank over IT! a bit slow, so, on inspecting and testing the battery, it was ere’s an odd repair found to be faulty. The voltage job - wonder if anyone was very low while cranking else has experienced even though it still started the Hone of these? engine. A 2003 Chrysler Voyager came A new battery was fitted, in with the complaint that the terminals cleaned, and main speedo and tacho wouldn’t earths checked. Now it started work. When asked when and a lot better, charging system how they stopped working, the was checked and all was customer wasn’t too sure and good. Road tested the car and just said one day they worked everything worked fine. fine and the next day they did not. The only problem she Hope this may help someone had had with the car was the else one day. battery going flat over the last week or so and the car had to Marty Hosie be jump started a few times, Barclays Radiator Service but it seemed to be OK now. Wagga Wagga

I drove it and yes the speedo (Nice one Marty. I have come and tacho weren’t working. across this a few times with The other gauges and warning different makes and models, lights seemed to be OK. it’s something to do with the the stopping pins. the cluster all the way around type of instrument internal On closer inspection of the and the needles followed until coil mechanisms. In this one I instrument cluster I noticed that I removed the cluster to inspect they were sitting correctly back suspect that it somehow spiked the needles on the speedo and closer. The ends of the needles on the top side of the stoppers. up due to the flat battery or tacho were pointing straight seemed to be heavy and when I didn’t remove the cover or jump start and pushed the down, and when I started the I moved the cluster side to anything, just rotated it slowly. needles up above halfway and engine they went up but were side the needles would slowly When I refitted the cluster to then they fell over on the wrong caught on the bottom side of move with it. I slowly rotated the vehicle, everything worked side. Deyan)

The Automotive Technician 8 YOU spade connector coming out The problem - the heat caused SAID You light up my life! of the circuit breaker to the by the bad contact was causing IT! high and low beam relays was the circuit breaker to trip on Everything was OK. discoloured or slightly burnt, I high beam. 1997 EL Fairmont with thought ‘hello’. I then did an 278,853 km on the A common link had to be found amp check on the wires in and The solution was to replace clock came in with between high and low beams. out of the circuit breaker and the circuit breaker. New eye headlightA dramas. found low beam was about terminals were soldered onto Obtained the correct wiring 8.5 amps and high beam was the wires and bolted onto An auto electrician probably diagram and within about about 17.5 amps. a new circuit breaker. The would have found this one three minutes found the main system was tested and the easier than a motor mechanic headlight wire went from the This was a 30 amp circuit wires or terminals did not get such as myself. However, I’m battery to the main fuse box breaker and fuse, however, hot anymore. I was just happy I happy I found the problem and on the R/H/F guard to the when checking the high beam found the problem considering was able to fix it. circuit breaker then to the high I found the wire coming out of the car would not fault when and low beam relays. So the the circuit breaker was really tested and would not fault very Two or three times over about common link was the fusible hot. often. Time taken was about nine months the headlights link and circuit breaker. two hours. would go out for a second On low beam it was fine but if when on high beam. The The fusible link which was you held the wire and switched Jason Smith owner would instantly flick listed on the circuit diagram on high beam after about 10 JDS Automotive back to low beam and the was actually a main fuse in the seconds the spade connector Mooroolbark Vic lights would come back on. main fuse box, just inside the got so hot you almost could not The combination switch high R/H/F guard. The wiring was handle it. I then unclipped the (Well done finding this solution. and low beam relays had been traced from the battery and it spade terminal and found very It is a common fault in the older replaced about 12 months was OK. little contact was being made Fords. You must have been ago by myself, for a different between the female spade listening during those training reason. The circuit breaker was located connector and the male on the nights. Jeff) near the main fuse box on the circuit breaker. Of course the car would not R/H/F guard, just under the fault for me. I performed many coolant recovery bottle and basic tests including checking inside a plastic cover. the battery and charge rates, fuses and relays, globe ratings On first inspection I found and basic wiring checks. the plastic cover on the large

Hell, let’s make people drive safe cars. YOU So The brakes on this car were dangerous SAID Bad brakes! Bad motorist! for weeks and the only reason he came in IT! was because he totally lost them. What happens is that his guy rings up and says,’My Anthony Tydd when the brakes wear out Briggs Automotive Bendigo Vic brakes are worn out and now I and you keep driving (no doubt towards have lost them’. T someone’s kids or a family in another car), (This could have been a horror story. It the steel pad wears through the cast rotor, I asked if they were metal to metal. ‘Yes,’ seems no matter how well you educate the brake piston pops out and you lose motorists on the need for regular he said, ’but now when I push the pedal your brakes. nothing really happens.’ I asked how long maintenance of things like brakes, they prefer to take the risk and keep going until they had been metal to metal and he said, And they want to book people for doing 60 ‘Not sure - a few days.’ it stops - or until they plough into some New Modules TAT Magazine April 2010 Airin a Conditioning:Australia 50 zone? 4 page Flyerinnocents. 26/03/2010 Timely 10:12 note Anthony. Page 2 Ed.) 4 new features from Autodata Australia Autodata’s new module ‘electric parking brake’ is now available on Autodata Complete.

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The Automotive Technician 9 On your bike!

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e guess it had to specialised bicycle infrastructure happen. If cars are throughout South Australia. going electric, the Wpushbike is bound to follow. These bikes have a mid- Although it would not be mounted motor. This design called a pushbike any more, delivers more climbing power would it? Unless the battery with lower battery use and better goes flat. balance. It also allows the full use of the gears under power Getté Bikes is a new generation which is a great advantage over FINALLY: of electric bike, now used by the other hub driven electric bikes. French police and by a growing There are two power controls. A CRUISE number of commuters in The first is pedal assistance with Europe, the United States, and three separate modes - low, CONTROL THAT now in South Australia. medium and high - giving a real push for climbing up steep OFFERS MORE... The bikes can be peddled just hills or for zooming across flat like an ordinary bike, but electric terrain. assistance can be engaged for that extra push to travel further The second is the throttle for NEW 900 SERIES faster. taking a break from pedalling all COMMAND CRUISE CONTROLTM together. The release of the Getté Bikes CRUISE CONTROL in South Australia follows The Italian-designed bike has JUST GOT BETTER the announcement of a joint a 200 watt motor and 36 volt Features; Federal-State investment of LiPon battery, with a re-charge $5.7 million for upgrading time of four to six hours. 47+5'%10641. 2''&.+/+6'4 2''&#.'46 '.'%6'&/1&'.5#0$75%#2#$.' 041#&14%#.+$4#6+10 OH&S and Environmental +:'�&81.706#4;52''&.+/+6+0) Compliant Parts Washer 7.6+2.'59+6%*'5#8#+.#$.' 2''&.+/+6'4f2''&#.'46/1&'.#8#+.#$.'5'2'4#6'.; • No solvents • Don’t change solution CONTACT COMMAND • Fully re-cycling CRUISE CONTROL TODAY • Low maintenance INSTALLER ENQUIRIES WELCOME • Totally safe, non toxic, non ﬂammable. • Won’t hurt hands or lungs. • Over 55,000 users. • Model DSW-123 shown, 1//#0&761 41726;6& other models available. 0+6 XF 7&5108'07'X#56.' +..FEIH7564#.+# *10'NFLLIGFMNN #:NFLLIGFMMM OH&S Email [email protected] COMPLIANT DURST INDUSTRIES Phone Now 02 9660 1755 www.durst.com.au

The Automotive Technician 10

CommandCruise_advert_HP_TRADE_FIN.indd 1 23/04/10 1:08 PM TaT fosters young technicians

his magazine has would return rewards and a vested interest in opportunities in proportion encouraging young to the effort and involvement techniciansT at TAFE they provide. colleges. The young technicians said TaT technical editor and chief they were inspired by Jeff’s trainer Jeff Smit was invited logic when he spoke to them to deliver a keynote address afterwards. Jeff presented the at the TAFE NSW South award to Matthew Atkinson, Western Sydney Institute at who received the highest the auto electrical student marks in three years. He graduations in May. received a one year free subscription to TaT as a Jeff applauded the reward. Other college awards for the Automotive Electrical technicians for their choice of best performing student in each (Stage 2) Jennifer Aldridge career, reminding them that Matthew also received the course were: 2nd the automotive industry had Albert Durst Award for the Automotive Electrical Automotive Electrical (Stage 1) Eric Vollman 1st (Stage 3) Christopher Luckey the potential to take them most oustanding achievement 2nd anywhere they desired. for an apprentice on Automotive Electrical (Stage 1) Mathew Uildriks 2nd Automotive Electrical completion of the Certificate (Stage 3) Ian McCarvil His theme was ‘reward III automotove electrical Automotive Electrical Best Workshop Attitude for effort’. The industry technology qualification. (Stage 2) Jonathon Ornelas 1st (IAME Award)

YOU are and list them all including the wiring SAID When education comes before the fix and connections front to rear and let him IT! make the call. requires careful handling of the customer. ‘If he is a good bloke and understands his story is not so much about the If, as you say, the bloke doesn’t want to what you’re saying you can take a few fix, but about the management of spend too much, you must just tell him you bites at it, especially if it is an intermittent the job and, more importantly, the can’t help him and walk away from it. problem. He should expect to be charged managementT of the customer. for it. He has to be told the system is worn ‘I’m sure he will have to do something out. The vehicle was a Ford Fairlane, eventually, because when it fails it’s not 1997 model with a 4 litre engine. comfortable to drive. ‘This sort of job can eat up a lot of time The suspension light was coming on and money. When you sort out one intermittently, but after a few tests and ‘There are perhaps two possible ways to problem you will invariably uncover others spending a lot of time looking for the fault, handle it if you feel it is worth keeping him as a result of your intervention. For such the customer decided he didn’t want to as a customer. One is to say you will do intermittent problems, I have been known spend much money on fixing the problem. him a favour and replace the complete to concentrate on the rear sensor and rear shock system and remove the old internal circuit board as well as the rear Deyan Barrie gave some firm advice which system. Don’t underquote and do use plug connector tension, the main relay others would be wise to follow. quality replacements. Alternatively, you and connections, and the pump desiccant could spend a little time to educate him on filter. But first, I make sure the shocks don’t ‘ThisNew is Modules one of those TAT Magazinesituations that April 2010 Airhow Conditioning:Australia expensive the original components 4 page Flyer leak.’ 26/03/2010 10:12 Page 3

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The Automotive Technician 12 Julian Hentze Letter from America Plenty to think about!

of Houston County, not so good. The old cars are being fixed up and the cars or this special convention edition austerity knife is cutting even deeper in being repo’ed has generated a new reality of TaT it might be timely to recap that area. TV programming cycle. Yep, watching on some major issues which have someone have their vehicle reposesed is occupiedF our minds over here in recent I’m speculating that many people have now called entertainment. times. found the repair money thanks to the ‘cash for clunkers’ program introduced last year. The Toyota recall has finally been dropped Summer has hit here with a vengeance. If you recall, the US Goverment decided from the headlines. This happened soon Spring lasted barely a week. Although a lot it could stimulate the economy, get rid of after Congress berated the President of of people are complaining that they didn’t a few old cars and save the big three car Toyota for his poor handling of the various get the right sort of weather to ease them makers - all at the same time. There were recalls. This didn’t go down too well with into summer, there are 75 families where massive incentives to buy a new car. my mates here. I work who couldn’t care less - bring on as much summer as you like. And as for Over the past six months, the The average comment from the TV those concerns I shared in my last letter, repossession rate on defaulters who viewers after watching this public about shortage of money for repairs, it bought vehicles under the cash for humiliation was, ‘Good going, Congress appears I didn’t read the market very well. clunkers program was double that of - now no one will want to invest in this People are finding the money to get their those who bought the vehicles outside country after that performance.’ a/c fixed, which is great. For the teachers the program. This means that a lot of You have to believe me when I tell you the average American is far smarter than the politicians they elect. The last laugh is with Toyota though. After an aggressive advertising campain, their sales rose 24% in April and projections are for an overall increase of 1.5% for 2010. Even the Prius they recalled is ahead of its own sales targets.

The rumours that rear wheel drive Australian designed vehicles will take over America are hotting up, according to a well respected industry magazine here. The little known Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon are battling it out for the American police vehicle market which, you can understand, is massive.

Both are trying to design a steering column with a gear lever so the police laptops can sit on the center console area. Even better news for Commodore fans is that GM is talking about a four door Corvette based on, you guessed it, the Holden Special Vehicle. It seems no one can build a rear wheel drive sedan like an Australian can.

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The Automotive Technician 13 Ready To Work Harder, Cooler & Longer.

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The Automotive Technician 14 STREET Cars are too smart by half - aren’t they?

Hayley Troopy (Toyota Landcruiser Troop Carrier) some new features, such as locks that CRED Windsor and assembled his bed. can be programmed to each driver’s specifications, are an example of the This, I’m told, is why the Troopy still market pushing new technology rather fter two years abroad, I’m now dominates many of Australia’s regional than responding to consumer demand. back in Australia. roads. Dubbed ‘the real 4WD’, these durable, rugged, no-nonsense vehicles are ‘Some people see it as just one more thing A praised even by the grey nomads. that can go wrong,’ he said, adding that A welcome home party (for me) was sitting ‘when you’re adding complexity, you’re around a national park campfire in the A blogging couple from this growing army adding risks.’ Northern Territory and, because they all of baby-boomers roaming Australia’s open know I contribute to a highly technical auto roads say they purchased their Troopy so Now, where can I pick up a cheap Troopy? magazine, a healthy debate on whether that any outback mechanic would be able cars are getting too smart by half was soon to fix it and have the spare parts to do so. flaring bigger than the campfire. I had Having once being stranded in Central simply asked ‘is the technology arriving Queensland, they wrote that they wanted faster than the aftermarket specialists can to avoid ‘being stuck up Woop-Woop keep up with it?’ Creek without a paddle’.

‘No one in the Territory trusts a We consumers do understand that greater computerised vehicle in the outback,’ safety, comfort, performance and lower blurted a guy who has travelled the length emissions can’t be achieved without and breadth of Australia offering his labour advanced electronics. Nevertheless, there at every whistlestop. will still be a large number of people in regional and remote parts of the country ‘What if it breaks down, or water gets into who are wary of the very latest models. the electronics and shuts everything down in the middle of nowhere?’ he demanded An executive engineer in Honda was to know as he popped the top of his quoted a few years ago warning that

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Technical Hotline: 1800 804 658 | www.valvoline.com.au The Automotive Technician 17 by Sam Nazarian The wonderful world of the Diesel Particulate Filter and Jack Stepanian

oping with the If you are planning to work on How is the burn off done? This sets the regeneration precision and diesel-engined vehicles, keep process in action. technological reading, As the DPF differential voltage Cintricacies of the modern sensor output voltage reaches 4. The diesel engine, where the motor vehicle hasn’t been the critical pre-programmed rpm and speed of the vehicle easy, especially for those levels, the ECM monitors the must be maintained during who have been in the trade driving conditions of the vehicle the regeneration process for more than a decade. It such as rpm, road speed, (a warning appears on the comes as a shock to find engine temperature, DPF instrument panel telling the that modern engine systems temperature (measured by driver to keep on driving until are ultra fussy about the its own temperature sensor), the process of regeneration is oils and fuels that are used - and a host of other settings completed and the light stops unheard of not so long ago. and will then initiate a burn flashing). off. This process burns off the This is part one of a two part soot that is captured within the Where to start diagnosing? story which shows how exact The Diesel Particulate Filter DPF and is often termed (in the It could be considered that: and intricate the electronic technical and owner manuals) controls are in the modern car. Unlike the catalytic converter as ‘regeneration’. We found out the hard way in which spontaneously converts a) the wrong oil was used our own workshop. It’s a long harmful exhaust emissions to The extra two injection pulses during a routine service story, so it’s told in two parts. less harmful emissions, the initiated by the ECM after a and fouled the DPF We set the scene and pose DPF, which is almost similar normal closed loop operation some options in this first part in size to a catalytic converter, are specifically designed to b) the ECM needed to and next issue we will get into captures and stores diesel raise the temperature of the be forced to go into regeneration mode, only the nitty-gritty of the diagnostic soot. As the level of soot DPF’s precious metals up to because it failed to do so procedure we adopted. accumulates within the DPF, 500 to 600 degrees Celsius, the Engine Control Module facilitating the burning off of c) the ECM program had A diesel-engined Peugeot (ECM) will then initiate two accumulated soot. During this failed so needs to be 307 (HDI) was presented for extra diesel injection pulses period a warning light on the reprogrammed a routine service which, as (often referred to as post instrument cluster panel will well as the usual checks and injection) to burn off the soot. begin to flash, encouraging the d) the DPF had failed due component replacements, driver to keep on driving, and to excessive soot build-up included an oil and oil filter How does the ECM know that not to turn off the engines until and needs to be replaced change. it is time for the DPF to burn the process is completed. off the soot? e) faulty wiring is giving The service was completed false information to the and the customer drove off. A pressure differential sensor ECM samples the upstream and f) voltages from the DPF The car was back a week downstream pressures at the sensor may be incorrect later with the Check Engine DPF and produces a voltage so the ECM is confused. Light glowing, together with that is dependent on, and the message, Diesel filtration a reflection of, the pressure FAULTY staring at us from the gradient of exhaust gases With so many options, a centre console. as they enter and leave the systematic course of action is DPF. This voltage is then necessary, keeping in mind the To our dismay, a quick check cross-correlated with that of The DPF all-important equation of time of the diagnostic trouble pre-programmed parameters sensor versus cost and how much will code confirmed the displayed within the ECM and, should the the customer have to pay. message. ‘Is this due to driving conditions favour a DPF a mishap or is it simply a burn-off, then the ECM will The four main components: You can expect the customer coincidence?’ was our initiate an extra two pulses of to ask the obvious question, immediate response. injection above and beyond the 1. DPF which captures the soot ‘Is the diagnosis accurate?’ normal injection for operation. generated by the combustion As you may have gathered by An oscilloscope and waveform process of the engine now, we had no option other analysis was deployed to trace How can the type of diesel than to be systematic and the feedback signal of this oil affect the DPF? 2. DPS which measures the keep the customer informed exacting vehicle electronic differential pressure between almost every step of the way. A control that had tied together Oil and OEM manufacturers the inlet and outlet of the DPF sympathetic and understanding the diesel oil type, the Diesel stipulate specific grades of oil (upstream and downstream) customer helped in this case. Particulate Filter (DPF), the for diesel-engined vehicles DPF Differential Pressure to minimise unnecessary 3. ECM which measures and We appreciate we have left Sensor (DPS) and diesel accumulation and cross- monitors the voltage generated you on the edge of your seats, engine post injection into an contamination between by the DPS and, based on wondering, but next issue will intricate web of workshop diesel and engine oils which the parameters, initiates two reveal all. Make sure you get intrigue. We were also to accelerate the accumulation of extra injection pulses (often your copy. discover how these are soot. Therefore, it is imperative termed as post injection). This interwoven in the regeneration that the correct and specified is based on the parameters Happy diagnosis process. oils be used at all times. programmed by design Sam and Jack engineers. The Automotive Technician 18 TOYEC02412 TOYOTA ‘s a fact ECHO problem solving 2002 4 Cylinders

Customer Complaint The a/c module gets its input from the ECU and the a/c Overheating in traffic. pressure switch.

If you trigger the white/blue wire on Problem Summary the pressure switch with a test light it should trigger on the change-over relay Had the radiator and water circulation and at the same time the a/c module checked. The engine electrical fan was should power up the fan power relay. not working when the engine got up to operating temperature. In this case it did not bring the fan on and that was why we suspected the a/c Diagnostic Sequence module.

Inspection of system carried out. The Engine ECU is located on the passenger side at the base of the Checked with scan tool, no codes. heater fan box assembly and is unbolted by removing the glovebox. Checked the engine electric fan operation with a/c on and found it Fault Solution was not working either and high side pressures were getting to high. The a/c module was located when we removed the main Fault Description instrument cluster. It is located at the left lower corner behind The main engine fan has two the instrument cluster. speeds - low speed through a resistor and there are two One Philips screw secures the control relays. mounting bracket to the heater box.

One is the power relay Fan 1 and Disconnected the a/c control the other is a change-over relay. This module and we were able to (brown) Fan 2 relay controls the high/ operate the fan at both speeds low earth switching side of the fan using test lights. motor. A new a/c module was fitted and engine Traced wire through with help from fan operation tested OK. diagrams and isolated the problem to the a/c control module. It’s the a/c Recommended Time module that triggers both of the relays. Labour time was 4.5 hours, taking The yellow/red wire switches on into account research time, location of relay Fan 1 and the white/blue parts and actual time spent fixing the wire turns on the Fan 2 relay for problem. engine fan high speed.

The Automotive Technician 19 VVWGO02413 VOLKSWAGEN ‘s a fact GOLF (1J) problem solving 2002 4 Cylinders

Customer Complaint We then cut the input wire to the EGR plug and Vehicle losing power. Engine worked out that there was a light comes on and would not short inside the plug itself. accelerate. We noticed that the EGR connector plug had Problem Summary moisture inside it and pin 3 was blank with no blanking This was an intermittent and end. ongoing problem. The plug and connectors Vehicle would drive fine and then had internally corroded. when hot the Engine Check Light would come on. There would The connectors had been getting be loss of power and little or no hot due to poor connectivity. The response from the accelerator plug segment walls had broken pedal. Engine rpm would increase down, causing a dead short finally. to about 12,000 rpm and hunt up and down. The other circuit affected was the 5 volt ECM reference signal. This Once the vehicle cooled down it would explain why so many codes would run again. came up.

Diagnostic Sequence Fault Solution

Scanned for codes. Had numerous One solution was a wiring harness fault codes, some relating to CAS for engine bay and EGR. throttle and pedal systems. The throttle body would not re-adapt on Our solution at owner’s request some occasions when it played up was to cut the connector plug out again. and run separate wires (hard wire) out of the EGR to a new six pin After much stress and testing connector block and fit the opposite voltages and confirming that the connector to the harness side. throttle body assembly and pedal switch was OK, it fortunately got progressively worse to a point Recommended Time where we noticed the 5 volt reference to some components was Labour time was 6 hours, taking incorrect and erratic. into account research time, location of parts and actual time spent fixing The fact that it had all these new the problem. parts made us more suspicious as to why so many things were going wrong. While driving the vehicle tips for ideas division into the workshop on Xmas Eve it cut dead and had to be pushed in. The reason why this occurred is We found a fuse F29 had blown. more poor design than bad luck. The fact that the connector plug had a spare spot and it was not Fault Description blocked off is why moisture, coolant or whatever actually got in and The fuse in question gives ignition when it did it was partly trapped supply to the ECM and the ignition because the plug is well sealed coils and it also powers the EGR. inside. This is the model that has problems with the coolant sensor Disconnected the coils and leaking coolant through the wiring the EGR and the short was up into the ECM. No wonder some still there. of the VW gurus say to replace the engine harness assembly.

The Automotive Technician 20 HOLBA02413 HOLDEN ‘s a fact BARINA problem solving 2002 4 Cylinders

Customer Complaint

Cut out while driving. Second relay box Problem Summary

Had blown a fuse. It was replaced, the vehicle drove for a short time and it cut out again. And again, the fuse was blown.

Diagnostic Sequence Main fuse/relay box

The fuse that had been replaced was in the main fuse/relay box under the bonnet.

Got hold of a relevant wiring diagram and found the blown fuse was fuse 46.

Fuse 46 is a maxi fuse and powers the main relay and in turn the relay supplies power to the ECM and the front and rear oxygen sensor heaters.

Fault Description Fuse 46 Checked out the two oxygen sensors and found the rear O2 sensor wiring harness had fallen down, almost touching the driver’s side drive shaft, even at rest.

Vehicle was put on the hoist and rub marks were noticed on the drive shaft.

The O2 sensor loom and heat shield had been damaged by the drive shaft and rubbed through, finally exposing the wiring in two spots.

One of them was the O2 sensor heater supply.

Fault Solution

Rear oxygen sensor removed, wiring checked and repaired, reinsulated, refitted and secured.

Recommended Time

Labour time was 2 hours, taking into account research time, location of parts and actual time spent fixing the problem.

The Automotive Technician 21 HOLBA00430 HOLDEN ‘s a fact BARINA SB problem solving 2000 4 Cylinders

Customer Complaint

Speedo erratic and intermittent.

Problem Summary

The speedo stops working, mainly from a dead cold start and after a few minutes erratically starts and bounces around.

Diagnostic Sequence

Scan tool hook up showed no fault codes.

Waited till it played up and then checked it with live data, when fault present the vehicle speed sensor data is not there.

Fault Description

There are three speed sensors in the Auto/trans model. Unfortunately we had no good available information on this Vehicle speed model. sensor location

To verify which one we required we got the speedo working and then unplugged all three, one at a time and identified it, then we removed it.

It is located at fire wall end of the main bell housing under the coolant reservoir.

The other two I assume are for the gearbox input and output shaft speed monitoring and are located further towards the end and rear left side of the gearbox housings body.

Fault Solution

Removed the vehicle speed sensor and got the numbers off the side to make sure we ordered the correct one.

Fitted the new sensor and speedo now working correctly all the time.

Recommended Time

Labour time was 2.5 hours, taking into account research time, location of parts and actual time spent fixing the problem.

The Automotive Technician 22 :hl\a8CLK88¦8;hfik^a^glbo^ o^ab\e^8\ho^kZ`^8Zm8rhnk8yg`^kmbil

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The Automotive Technician 23 9

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The Automotive Technician 24 YOU Plastic window sliders Australian SAID made quality IT! a real problem since 1918. he vehicle - 5/04 separately so, instead of • All Battery Chargers Ford Territory having to buy the whole • Workshop & Industrial (1) with 69,000 regulator assembly, they • Automatic Switchmode kilometresT on the clock. cost about $20 each. Both • 6, 12, 24, 36 Volts sliders were replaced, all The complaint was that parts were refitted and the right hand front tested OK. electric window would not go up and that the door Time taken was about 2 would not latch closed hours, but the next one sometimes. won’t take that long.

I found the window Jason Smith actually wanted to go up JDS Automotive but was being pushed Mooroolbank Vic • Solvent Free SmartWasher sideways towards the rear (Thanks Jason. I have had • Battery Load Testers of the car. I suspected it was hitting the latch the same problem with a • Battery Analysers bit of a twist. The owner assembly, stopping it from had been putting up with it • Test Benches working sometimes. • Growlers for so long that he actually damaged the door latch and • Under Cutters I removed the door trim the solenoid had stripped the • Diode Testers and found the window gear. After replacement of the regulator has two plastic latch assembly and the clips sliders that attach the we found that the window regulator was very noisy, window regulator cables to especially about the middle the bottom of the glass. of the travel up and down. • Real Jump Starters Deyan) The rear one was broken, • Carry and Trolley so the glass would be • AVR & Multimeters pushed to the rear of the car and into the latch. New Catalogue now available (02) 9660-1755 I removed the right hand Email [email protected] front window regulator Sales, service & repair to all equipment from the door and believe it or not those two plastic www.durst.com.au sliders are available

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The Automotive Technician 25 Note – pin 14 is designated with Part Two the red pin (low side of high by Jack Stepanian What is a controlled area network exactly? speed BUS) and terminal 6 as the blue pin (high side of high e will continue to whether the BUS is awake or cranks but does not start has speed BUS). They are always unravel the mystery asleep. been towed to your workshop! above each other. of Controller Area Since the immobiliser NetworkW Bidirectional Are BUS issues able to be function is part and parcel of Checking integrity of daisy Universal System (CAN deciphered by using DTCs? the communication system chain resistance BUS) and touch on basic between the transponder (key), diagnoses. There are dedicated specific Immobiliser Control Unit (ICU), In order to measure the and unique DTCs for CAN BUS Body Electrical Module (BEM) resistance of the daisy chain What is CAN BUS terminating issues. These are recognised and the Powertrain Control resistance, simply identify resistor? by the prefix of the U code. Module (PCM) the very first thing terminals 6 and 14 of the For example, a trouble code must be to check the existence DLC connector. Measure Design engineers have assigned of say U1018, designates the of communication between the the resistance with a digital only two specific control units to fact that the control unit that is control units. Plug a scan tool multimeter. It should be about embed the 120 ohms resistor. responsible for placing a throttle into the DLC. 60 ohms. It is imperative that These are critically placed at message has either forgotten enough time, up to 10 minutes, the beginning and the end of to do so or failed to be on the DTCs and scan tool is allowed for the CAN BUS to the daisy chain. Since they BUS. In simple terms the data go to sleep after turning ignition are in parallel, measuring the for throttle is missing. Plug the scan tool into DLC and off. resistance across the two wires confirm that the tool powers up. of the high speed CAN BUS will What is the difference If not, identify pin 16 of DLC and and should yield 60 ohms. between CAN BUS and Data check supply voltage relative to List? ground (chassis earth). If not, What does a CAN BUS scope check fuses. If OK, then identify pattern look like? Whenever a scan tool is terminal 4 and 5 and carry out connected to DLC and OBD/ earth credibility test (at DLC). The low speed CAN BUS has a EOBD and/or OBDII option is If either of the 4 and 5 circuits voltage swing of between 0 and selected, you are observing are not within expected values, 4 volts, mid and high speed CAN messages floating about the rectify earth as necessary and BUS (over two wires) swing BUS - messages that are attempt to read DTC Codes Daisy chain resistance between 2, 5 and up to 3.6 pertinent to pollution and volts and 2.5 volts down to 1.6 targeted to information required Should the resistance be above volts in a push pull arrangement for emission control. However, or below the specified value (say (respectively). when a specific control unit is 60/120 ohms) obtain a circuit chosen from the list (if available) diagram and determine the Can CAN BUS waveform be such as ECM, TCM or ABS, location of terminating resistor measured at DLC? the information displayed is the pin numbers (such as PCM) and interpretation of the control units measure the resistance at each A good place to start is at the of its inputs. So, data displayed control unit. It should be two of Diagnostic Link Connector by a specific control unit is them with each being 120 ohms. (DLC). Terminals 6 and 14 are basically displaying its own dedicated to high speed CAN interpretation of the input and DTC codes BUS (two wire configuration) OBD is a list of information that and terminal 1 of DLC to low is encoded and placed on the Most OEM CAN BUS DTC speed CAN BUS. BUS for control units to decipher. codes are designated with a prefix of U. For example a U0100 Are any of the DLC pins useful CAN BUS and future indicates loss of communication in diagnosing CAN BUS? direction? with PCM.

Since pins 6 and 14 are of the Apart from engine management, Loss of CAN BUS parallel 120 ohms resistance of CAN BUS is also used to communication CAN BUS voltage the BUS control units, measuring integrate and share data with measurements the resistance across these two infotainment and communication This code (U0100) may indicate terminals (6 and 14) should yield (GPS navigation, multimedia that terminating resistors at Should earlier tests prove to 60 ohms. If not, then there may system, rear seat entertainment, either end of the daisy chain are be OK and yet the symptom be a break in the wiring (control mobile phones), comfort and not within the specified value (60 persists, the integrity of units are no longer in parallel) convenience (re-configurable ohms) and/or one of the control communication signals (voltage and/or the embedded resistor instrument cluster, voice units is failing to communicate swings) must be ascertained within the dedicated control unit recognition), driver assistance with the others. We will now with the use of a digital volt (BEM or ECM) has failed. Also, system (adaptive cruise control examine each case individually. meter. pin 16 is 12 volt supply and pins and collision warning, tyre 4 and 5 are signal and scanner pressure monitor systems) to earth terminal so, if scanner name a few. tool does not turn on, check supply and grounds (pin 16 and So, where do we start? 4/5 respectively). Pin 1, being the low speed CAN BUS, does Analysing CAN BUS symptoms not have a specific resistance. is very simple if a systematic This varies greatly between approach is used. For example, manufacturers and depends on assume that a vehicle that The Automotive Technician 26 Measuring voltage with a volt Waveforms of CAN BUS Second diagram shows CAN Fourth diagram shows CAN meter unfortunately is not BUS where ignition key is BUS, engine running - assuming necessarily the best option. It We will now examine waveforms rotated to accessory (note - engine runs simply measures the average of the CAN BUS signal under some activity which DVM cannot of signal swings, which is not a differing conditions with an display - too fast) true representation of the actual oscilloscope. For simplicity we voltage swing. Nevertheless, will attempt to trace high and low here are voltages measured waveforms individually. at differing stages with the volt meter: Voltages measured with DVM

Pin 14 - low side of high speed BUS 5 min after IGN OFF (key out) = 1.15 volts (note – some activity which DVM Key in = 1.15 volts cannot display – too fast)! Above diagram shows CAN Accessory ON = 2.2 volts BUS where ignition key is Above diagram shows CAN IGN ON = 2.408 volts rotated ON (note - some activity BUS of high side of high speed Above diagram shows CAN which DVM cannot display - too and the low side of high speed Engine running (assuming BUS after five minutes of IGN fast) where the engine is running. car starts) = 2.414 volts OFF (note - no activity) Pin 6 - high side of high speed BUS A list of useful web sites is at: 5 min after IGN OFF (key out) = 1.15 volts http://www.tat.net.au/ Key in = 1.15 volts member.php?p=tatsafact Accessory ON = 2.2 volts - and click on Interesting IGN ON = 2.557 volts Websites at the bottom of Engine running (assuming the page. car starts) = 2.557 volts

If the temperature drops below this Melbourne to produce the required how combustion develops over A plug for the bright level there is a danger that soot vehicle loads. For every given time. This is done by measuring the and oil from incomplete combustion vehicle they need to find the hottest conductivity of the spark gap. sparks at Bosch will settle on the colder areas of cylinder in the engine. This is done the spark plug. This can form a using a special spark plug equipped Characteristic changes in hen an engine is operating, shunting of the spark and result in with a thermocouple that allows combustion process due to the spark plug is heated misfiring. Conversely if the insulator direct measurement of the cylinder increased thermal loading can be byW the combustion process. temperature is too high (above temperature.The hottest cylinder is detected using ionic current and is Some of the heat absorbed by 900°C) there will be a dramatic the weak link. It is the one which will used in the assessment of the auto the spark plug is transferred to increase in electrode wear due to suffer from pre-ignition at elevated ignition process. In this way Bosch the incoming air fuel mixture. oxidation and hot gas erosion or, combustion temperatures before the can make adaptions in the plug However, most of the heat is even worse, destructive pre-ignition. other cylinders. design to prevent thermal ignition conducted to the cylinder head. from occurring. Robert Bosch Australia carries The Bosch Ionic Current There is a delicate balance between out regular heat range testing of measurement procedure uses the heat absorption and heat vehicles using local fuels to replicate combustion characteristics to dissipation, with the aim to get the driving conditions in a particular determine the engine’s heat range the insulator temperature to reach region. They use a large chassis requirements. The ionizing effect the self cleaning temperature of dynometer at the Bosch site in of the flames is used to determine Spark plugs undergoing heat range approximately 500°C. testing at the Bosch lab.

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The Automotive Technician 27 The Automotive Technician 28 Dual Mass Flywheels vs Solid Flywheels

ual Mass Flywheel (DMF) technology was developed for Dvolume production by LuK and first used by BMW in ! 1985. Soon luxury vehicle manufacturers like Aston Martin, Jaguar, Mercedes, Audi and Porsche, saw the benefits of using a damper capable of reducing driveline torsional vibration to next to nothing.

In addition to providing a ! smooth and refined drive it also minimises damaging ! torsional vibration transmitted ! into the gearbox and rear axle,

which increases the durability of these components. Since 1985 most major manufacturers including Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Toyota and Ford have taken the opportunity to provide these major benefits to the driver and fleet operators. Ford even went a step further with the Transit and of a claimed reduction in cost, the cause of the DMF failure introduced a Self Adjusting Clutch (SAC) on the DMF which will still exist and the use of a solid flywheel may well reduces clutch pedal load considerably and maintains it transfer the damage to a more expensive component like throughout its life, unlike a conventional clutch. the gearbox.

The number of manufacturers using DMF and SAC Fitting non-standard equipment can lead to future repair continues to grow, proving that DMF continues to be the difficulties with obtaining replacement parts and cause the best all round solution for driver comfort and reducing wear vehicle to be off the road longer than necessary. on other driveline components like gearboxes and axles. Some of these conversions also make changes to the Some clutch manufacturers introduced a flywheel and release system, again a potential future problem with parts clutch kit that replaces the DMF with a solid flywheel and a identification and supply. conventional non-SAC. [email protected] While this may seem attractive in the short term because Phone: 02 8977 1043

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The Automotive Technician 29 Murphy’s Law Keeping your cool

The ECU receives the voltage The ECU controls ooling systems are from the ECT and can adjust the amount designed to keep the fuel mapping and turn on of thermostat Cengines at a consistent the cooling fan when required. operation by predetermined temperature If at any stage the ECT fails, increasing or because if they don’t, the the ECU will turn the fan on decreasing the ECU would vary the fuel permanently until the fault is heat of the element delivery. rectified. in the wax pellet. At certain engine loads A cooling system in good Thermostats the engine temperature working order will allow can be increased to the ECU to plot the most Thermostats are located in the make the combustion economical fuel delivery. water flow housing, usually more efficient. in the top hose outlet. The The importance of raising thermostat is used to restrict Water pumps engine temperature to normal coolant flow to the radiator operating range as quick as until the engine warms up. As A water pump is an important possible is paramount, not the coolant temperature rises, part of the engine cooling Their just for fuel mapping but to the valve opens and allows system. It provides circulation construction is generally prevent excessive engine wear. coolant to circulate through the of the engine coolant through plastic, thus saving weight. Cooling system capacities radiator. the cooling system. It have become smaller in pushes the coolant through Radiators modern vehicles due to more Opening temperatures vary the passages in the engine efficient radiators and cooling depending on the vehicle cylinder block and cylinder Radiators transfer the heat fans. manufacturer, but most open head and then out into the from the fluid inside to the air between 82 to radiator. outside, thereby cooling the Cooling fans 92 deg C with engine. Radiators are also the exception often used to cool automatic Cooling fans come in many of late model transmissions, air conditioners, forms - mechanical type fuel injected and sometimes to cool engine driven by the cars which oil. crank pulley, open between thermo fans 89 to 93 deg C. Two Radiators are typically driven stage thermostats (Ford mounted in a position where by an Falcon) are used to provide they receive airflow from the electrical a direct flow to the radiator forward movement of the motor, when fully open. They also vehicle, such as behind a viscous close off coolant bypass unlike front grill. and single stage thermostats. hydraulic Radiator caps hold pressure driven Mapping The water pump is usually on the cooling system. By fans. Thermostat driven by the engine through increasing pressure the boiling the drive belt or timing belt. point of the coolant rises. There Mechanical are several different types of fans in some cases A pump consists of the caps so you must be sure you will change the housing, an impellor with the use the right one. pitch of the blades as shaft rotating on the engine speed a bearing The coolant must have an picks up and when pressed inhibitor to reduce the risk of there is not the inside corrosion. Care must be taken same need for the the when topping up coolant with fan operation at housing. an unknown brand as the high speed. different coolants may not mix. Electric Thermo fans are water Cooling systems can be switched by a temperature pumps are becoming more difficult to diagnose. Using a The switch (thermo switch). popular. pressure tester with a radiator principal cap pressure check makes mechanical The ECU receives a voltage These pumps cut in only life a little easier. Many mis- design of a map signal from the engine coolant when the engine has reached diagnoses have been made thermostat is the same as a temperature sensor (ECT). operating temperature. Some because of a lack of test gear conventional thermostat. Most ECTs have a reference water pumps are controlled by or not taking the time to make voltage of about 5 volts. As the the ECU and vary their speed sure you have covered every The purpose of the mapping engine temperature increases, depending on the demand. possibility. thermostat is to control the resistance in the ECT engine temperature at a The advantages are less becomes higher, causing the Happy diagnosing predetermined point of engine return voltage to decrease. energy (K/W) to drive them operation. and better control of engine Nick Murphy temperature. The Automotive Technician 30 Auto electrical no longer a boy’s game

Auto Electrical Auto Electrical Silver Medal Auto Electrical Bronze Gold Medal Mitchell Madden -TAFE Medal Jade Strack Anita Boughen NSW Southern - Southern Qld Sydney Institute Institute of TAFE - Wetherill - Toowoomba Park College

a male- dominated ‘The Anita trade - until Holden came first, received now. and the star qualification followed,’ she billing in the We have heard of several said. ‘I just love the work. Queensland press, with a doing TAFE courses in big glamour picture posing Sydney, and Anita was ‘I really enjoy sitting down with the car she restored, aware of two other girls and working things out he best young after the announcement earning their qualifications when cars come in with of the 2010 WorldSkills at her own training college, auto electrician tricky problems. ‘Once you National Competition in Skills Tech Australia at inT Australia is 21-year- work it out, you can fix it May when she learnt she Bracken Ridge in Brisbane. old Anita Boughen, who properly and that gives you had beaten the brightest hails from a tiny farming a buzz.’ auto electricians from Anita will feature in the community called Minden, around Australia in what cover story in the TaT Sounds like the perfect in the Lockyer Valley has become known as the issue of August 2010. For candidate to inspire other west of Brisbane. She young tradies’ Olympics. this sneak preview, Anita young women to consider works at John Wellings admitted she had grown up auto electrical as a career tinkering with cars, and her Auto Electrical at nearby Her gold medal win has path. pride and joy is an old FJ Raceview, west of coincided with a search by TaT for females entering Holden which she restored Look for the in-depth Brisbane. what has traditionally been herself. interview next issue.

Autobody Repair Gold Medal Automotive Mechanics Gold Medal Heavy Vehicle Mechanics Gold Medal Vehicle Painting Gold Medal Daniel Kostakakis - Kangan Romain Marteau - University of Milorad Pirovic - TAFE NSW South Nathan Crumpton - TAFE NSW Institute - ACE Centre Melbourne Ballarat - SMB TAFE Campus Western Sydney Institute - Wetherill Sydney Institute - Ultimo College Park College

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The Automotive Technician 31 In a future edition, we will publish our findings and Workshop these we hope will encourage more workshops to change their invoicing system. The two business A wheel survey responses ideas which TaT shared with technicians were: 1. Data, manuals, wiring diagrams, information – award winner hanks to those subscribers who have anything you have to pay money for to do your job completed the survey form on the on today’s vehicles should be charged out as a subjects of ‘Information - your most spare part. Tvaluable spare part’ and ‘What is a job worth’. 2. Repair work should not be charged out ‘by the In recent issues of TaT, we have challenged hour’ but by the level of knowledge you use. In workshops to consider changing the way they other words, labour should never be sold to the charge for their time and expertise. After giving out customer as hours spent – only a dollar value. so much good advice, we were keen to find out if anyone actually took it. We invite subscribers to fill in the survey forms. They are on the website www.tat.net.au on the Several subscribers who have followed the advice first page you will see after login. wrote in and suggested we give them a couple of months to evaluate the effect of the changes they Please be assured that we are not going to feature have implemented. But from early reports, it seems individual workshops or name anyone or any that those who took the advice have improved business. If we think there are ‘quotable quotes’ their bottom line, with no negative impact from in the information we receive, we will seek your he Beissbarth Easy 3D customers. permission first before publishing. Wheel Aligner has won the 2010 German National AwardT for Outstanding and Innovative Achievement.

The judges said it was easy to use and was speedy, accurate and needed little space.

The Beissbarth aligner is suitable for all types of cars, vans and light commercial vehicles.

It is so easy to operate that people with no special knowledge of wheel alignment can use it, making it suitable for a variety of workshops, not just tyre specialists.

In takes just minutes to do a wheel alignment, including runout compensation. This rapid performance means a workshop can do more alignments a day.

With the vehicle driven onto the lift, universal clamps and measurement plates are mounted onto the wheels. Runout compensation can be carried out simply by driving the car onto the lift, and does not require mechanics to push the vehicle back and forth by hand. It is also not necessary to exit the vehicle during the runout compensation process.

With clamps and measurement plates mounted the sensors are then attached. The sensors are integrated with a unique reference system, comprising lightweight, impact-resistant cameras.

This reference system ensures reliable measurement results without complicated or potentially error-prone calibration.

The slimline Easy 3D is mobile and extremely compact, capable of fitting into small workshops.

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The Automotive Technician 32 YES! Please sign me up for my $115 magazine subscription and access to your technical solutions!

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That’s not what TaT is all about subscribers to fill in every field that they can respond quicker, and assist Help us We have a team of dedicated in the TaT assist form. Some do help you get to a solution quicker. technical experts at our finger tips it, many do not. So quite soon, The service TaT offers is not to help you! and, while they might be good at we will be making most of the supposed to replace you as a what they do they are essentially fields on this form mandatory. technician. We expect you to aT is constantly trying just auto technicians like yourself. That means our website will not have had a good crack at fixing to improve its service They are on the tools daily, and send the form when you press the the problem first - after all, that’s to subscribers and that they solve problems daily, just like submit button, unless you have your job. TaT provides you with Twill sometimes mean changes you. made a good attempt at answering another set of eyes, another mind to the manner in which your all the questions on the form. to apply to the problem. problems are communicated to They need to understand the basic our team. issues of your problem before they You might think this is making Sometimes the best advice our can respond, and that’s why we more work for you, but it’s not. It team gives is simply agreeing that As we have said before, TaT does operate the TaT assist web-based is giving our technical assist team you are on the right track. It works not offer a direct telephone help help program. We have issued a much clearer picture of the work on an old but proven theory – ‘two line. appeals in previous issues to ask performed so far on the vehicle so heads are better than one’.

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anzeige_TAT_australien_190x90mm_1 1 The Automotive04.03.2010 Technician 18:18:14 Uhr 33 of Delphi, may be a new name to the Australian market, but it is a multi-billion dollar global steering ‘s interesting and driveline business dedicated to electric and hydraulic steering systems for original equipment manufacturers and the aftermarket. Nexteer 5. Prepare for hybrid servicing supply power steering pumps, hoses, steering Craig Van Batenburg, CEO of the US hybrid columns, halfshafts, and rack and pinion gears for training organisation ACDC, has written the highly vehicles up to 20 years old. Their EPS systems anticipated 2010 Hybrid Service and Technology achieve up to 4% fuel savings compared to book, with optional DVDs. It’s an updated version traditional hydraulic steering by eliminating the 1. Mobile a/c from the US perspective of Craig’s popular book ‘Understanding Hybrid hydraulic pump, hoses and fluids and replacing MACS 2010 Mobile A/C Update manual from the Service and Technology’. The book has more them with a high efficiency motor. US is targeted to the working technician who wants than 250 pages of hybrid info that will help you get Ph: 03 8561 3530 www.nexteer.com to keep up with the changes in repair techniques, safely started in hybrid service. Go to the website tools and trends. MACS Worldwide is the leading below and follow the links to the order form. You 8. Ignition Leads and Parts Catalogue association of a/c technicians in the world and should email first to determine postage charges The Bosch Ignition Leads Catalogue is now is an affiliate of Australasia’s VASA. The manual and Australian price. available. It features part numbers for universal HT covers the 2010 Prius ejector cycle evaporator, a/c www.fixhybrid.com/hybridmanuals.html leads, single replacement leads, coil leads, spark performance critical for escape hybrids’ battery life, plug leads, as well as single leads for Ford and and why computers need reprogramming. Holden 6 cylinder applications. The new catalogue Online store at www.macsw.org offers ignition leads for general and performance driving and includes the recently released range 2. Magnetic parts trays of Bosch Motorsport ignition Kincrome has released leads. The catalogue a new range of magnetic includes valuable parts trays that have reference data such as kit strong magnets for structure information, attaching to vehicles or 9. diagnostics work trolleys. The range 11. and common has two rectangular, one 2. ignition lead square and two round faults. A feature trays, one of which has Rodney Salvestro is instructions for a magnetic strainer installation of contact ideal for draining parts. sets and distributor rotors. This handy tray range Bosch Customer Service Centre: can be used vertically, 1300 30 70 40 horizontally or upside 4. down. 9. Flameless heat gun www.kincrome.com.au A new flameless heat gun, the Narva Micro-Therm, provides the professional 3. You are my sunshine touch with heatshrink on terminals and Portable solar power has connector applications in workshops. The moved from novelty to 3. gun comes with a heat shield and refillable mainstream, with powerful cigarette lighter kits ready for action which can be refilled straight out of the bag. using butane filler Projecta have used new gas or replaced with technology to turn out four 8. a standard cigarette convenient sizes - 40W, lighter. It provides up 60W, 80W to 20 minutes overall and 120W. use before refilling. The two The Narva Butane Gas smaller light- Heating Tool Part No. weight kits are 10. 1. 56392BL is ideal for use for maintaining on a range of heatshrink and charging 5. 6. tubing. batteries www.narva.com.au used for small 7. to medium 10. Bendix Heavy Duty appliances Brake pad manufacturer Bendix can such as now offer a range of long lasting camp lights and accessories. The larger kits are heavy duty brake pads for light for caravans, motor homes, house boats and commercial vehicles. The range of remote pumps. Each kit is equipped with an specially formulated pads will last up inbuilt controller to maintain the battery in a fully to twice as long as all-purpose brake charged state while protecting it from overcharging. pads in this type of vehicle. Bendix has its latest Available from automotive, 4WD and camping 2010/11 Data Book available plus an updated outlets. website at www.bendix.com.au with all new 6. Power Cup - everything but coffee listings. Bendix Brake Advice Centre 4. Champions plug the Champion Narva’s award-winning Power Cup will fit into 1800 819 666 or 03 5327 0211 More than 400 Formula 1 winners have chosen a standard vehicle cup holder and plug into a Champion spark plugs. Rodney Sylvestro, Top cigarette lighter socket. It won’t heat your coffee, 11. Watch your speed with this Fuel Drag Bike rider, risks his life every time he but using this power hub you can plug into a range Bogaard Distributors will release a new version races. If the spark plug fails, the bike’s engine of accessories through twin USB ports and two of their HillSpeed digital speedometer in July. It is likely to explode under his chest. Rodney has illuminated standard accessory sockets. Suitable uses GPS to obtain its speed information and absolute faith in Champion spark plugs, and says for 12 volt applications, the unit is fuse protected, with its simple plug and play installation, it can he would never change to another brand. Top is rated at 8 amp and is also fitted with four LED be operating within minutes in any vehicle. It is Door Slammer champion, Victor Bray, swears battery indicators. designed to be mounted on the top of the dash by Champion spark plugs. He says drag racing Narva Power Cup Part No. 81056BL within the driver’s field of vision and can be safely vehicles are incredibly powerful, producing up to read at a glance. The HillSpeed includes an 8000 horsepower compared to the average car 7. Nexteer - steering a new direction overspeed alarm. that produces 300-400 horsepower. Nexteer Automotive, the former steering division 02 9477 2497 www.bogaard.com.au The Automotive Technician 34 with a long-range radar sensor, which assistant, which keeps the car on track Cars that sense identifies the greater area in front of the car. in the lane by automatic steering. In Video sensors are of vital importance in combination with ACC, this would be an accidents before assistance systems, since they support the ideal system to support the driver during interpretation of visual information. Bosch stop-and-go traffic. Once ACC identifies a will be offering them for use in vehicles in critical traffic situation, it applies the brake they happen the near future and thus opening up the pads imperceptibly to the brake discs and potential for a number of new functions prepares the hydraulic brake assist for Rear end video sensors in the most simple possible panic braking. In further system version will be able to assist the ultrasonic upgrades, drivers may receive alerts to an ehicle accident studies have parking aid in parking and positioning the impending collision or the car may even shown that about 60% of rear end car. A front end camera is useful for other automatically brake in an emergency. and almost one third of front end assistance systems as well. Vcollisions would never have happened Collisions with cars moving ahead if the driver had reacted just half a or overtaking vehicles account for a second sooner. significant proportion of traffic accidents in Australia. These situations might be According to a Bosch estimate, driver detected early by scanning the vehicle assistance systems could generally environment with a radar sensor. The time prevent rear end crashes in almost 90% of to a potential crash could be used to alert cases, or at least drastically reduce their the driver and to assist in preventing the severity. accident. Additionally, during this stage, reversible Bosch is working on a sensitive car fitted safety systems for the protection of the with sensors and electronic systems passengers would already be initialised. that detect and interpret the vehicle This includes protection of the passengers environment, identify dangerous situations by reversible seat belt tensioning and at an early stage and assist the driver in a To give one example, based on the automatic seat adjustment for passengers range of driving movements. principle of a front end camera, Bosch is currently developing a system for lane in the front and back seats. recognition which identifies the boundaries The basis for Bosch driver assistance Once an accident has become inevitable, and track of the lane. If the vehicle should systems are two systems already in the system will activate measures to unintentionally start to depart from the existence - the park pilot with ultrasonic minimise the severity of the impact and lane, the system alerts the driver. sensors to identify the immediate to protect all those involved. Airbag environment of the car, and the increasing parameters will be adjusted, including Bosch plans to upgrade the lane employment of the automatic distance improved angle detection, offset crashes, recognition system into a lane keeping regulation Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) or the staged triggering of smart airbags.

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The Automotive Technician 36 The Motor Traders program These sessions will concentrate on scan tools and their use in the diagnostic training process. SA Tuesday 10 August North Adelaide he TaT training program gets QLD Wednesday 11 August Richmond under way in August and Monday 6 September Caboolture continues across many parts of Tuesday 7 September Nambour regionalT Australia and New Zealand Wednesday 8 September Capalaba until late November. The New Zealand program Thursday 9 September Virginia Head trainer Jeff Smit will team up with Monday 13 September Coopers Plains wholesaler partners Burson, Coventry Tuesday 14 September Toowoomba Scanner secrets and Motor Traders, to deliver a dynamic Wednesday 15 September Nerang Monday 12 July Auckland new series of training sessions to help Tuesday 13 July Hamilton technicians to hone up their diagnostic NSW Wednesday 14 July Christchurch skills and learn about the latest equipment Thursday 16 September Lismore Thursday 15 July Dunedin and technologies. In New Zealand, the Monday 20 September Tamworth training program is being organised by Tuesday 21 September Coffs Harbour Petroject, and all inquiries and bookings Oscilloscopes/waveforms Wednesday 22 September Port Macquarie need to be made direct with them, by Monday 13 September Auckland Thursday 23 September Newcastle emailing: [email protected] Tuesday 14 September Wellington Wednesday 15 September Nelson VICTORIA Full details of the Australian training Thursday 16 September Christchurch sessions, including a booking form can be Monday 11 October Sunbury found at www.tat.net.au Tuesday 12 October Geelong SRS/ABS Wednesday 13 October Altona Monday 1 November Auckland Each of the sessions will be held on a Thursday 14 October Sunshine Tuesday 2 November Christchurch weeknight, starting sharp at 7pm through Monday 18 October Bairnsdale Wednesday 3 November Nelson to 10pm, with a supper break. Prices are Tuesday 19 October Morwell Thursday 4 November Nelson the same as last year, at $85 per person, Wednesday 20 October Dandenong with technicians from the same workshop Thursday 21 October Clayton down to $75 per person. Monday 25 October Bayswater For all New Zealand training contact Lawrence Fisher Tuesday 26 October Frankston This is excellent value for such intensive Phone: 9 448 1071 Wednesday 27 October Brunswick training. Technicians are reminded that Email: [email protected] these training sessions are provided Thursday 28 October Campbellfield from the perspective of an operational workshop, with case studies and real NSW This magazine is just life diagnostic issues put under the Monday 8 November Central Coast microscope. Tuesday 9 November Seven Hills the tip of the iceberg! Wednesday 10 November Liverpool Thursday 11 November Penrith The Burson program Classes will cover vehicle diagnostics- getting it right the first time, problem VICTORIA solving to minimise wrong diagnosis, using Monday 15 November Ballarat real life case studies from TaT workshops Tuesday 16 November Horsham and reviews of the latest equipment and Wednesday 17 November Mildura techniques. Thursday 18 November Wagga Wagga

VIC

Monday 16 August Albury The Coventry program Tuesday 17 August Bendigo These sessions will concentrate on scan Wednesday 18 August Echuca tools and their use in the diagnostic www.tat.net.au Thursday 19 August Shepparton process. This is where you find the databaseof repair solutions, stories from all TaT NSW WA issues, training programs and much more. Tuesday 24 August Dubbo Tuesday 3 August North Perth, Duncraig This is where you reap the real benefits of your subscription to TaT. Wednesday 25 August Caringbah Wednesday 4 August South Perth, Cannington

The Automotive Technician 37 by Ken THE LAST WORD Newton About empty wallets and big smiles

verybody knows there So Richard is convinced that There are two opposing factors ‘This is not only unprofessional, is a shortage of quality a lot of the shortage of skilled at play in the workshop it does little for workshop profits,’ auto electricians. Ask tradesmen, or women, is the said Richard. This culture can be anyE large workshop how many result of the shift of training ‘The young auto electrician has overthrown with better business applications they received to responsibility from the government this belief that the boss makes all skills, and that’s what’s lacking their last advertisement for sector to private enterprise. And the money. He’s getting paid $10 from the formal training curriculum. qualified staff. when Richard speaks of skilled to $20 an hour, but the boss sells Richard feels so strongly about tradesmen or women, he’s drawing his services for more than $80 an this that he’s bucked the system So if there is such a shortage, a big line between skills and quals hour. The boss must be filthy rich. and insists on his apprentices how is it that so many workshop (qualifications). being instructed in basic aspects owners complain that their profits ‘With this attitude, the employee of business during their technical could be a lot bigger, and why is it Government obsession with technician sees no relationship training. ‘I am convinced it gives that somewhere around half of all producing ‘quals’ in short order between his skills and work them a better perspective of apprentices who leave TAFE with a timeframes, rather than skills, practices and his own future and their role in the business, and solid qualification, exit the industry will eventually bite all industries, salary scale. It doesn’t dawn on how they can share some of within five or so years? Richard believes. them that if they grew their own the responsibility of making the skills, they not only become more business, and themselves, more Something smells. Is it the With some of the new government confident in themselves, but they profitable,’ he adds. money? Is it lack of advancement initiatives aimed at preparing can command greater respect and opportunity? Is an auto electrician young people for jobs, it is possible income for the business, improved In summary, if there were two socially on the nose? Those who for a year 12 student to leave profitability for the workshop, and things Richard thought the industry lead in the trade, notably our own school with a Cert III qualification. a far better chance that they will be could do for itself, it would be these: Jeff Smit, Deyan Barrie, Nick ‘This can’t be done in two years. rewarded in their pay packets. Murphy, Jack Stepanian, Gil Sher, The TAFE four year system is the minimum if you are looking ‘So unless apprentices can Gary Reid, Wayne Broady and Business basics, covering for competence,’ says Richard. leave college with some basic how a business functions, others will tell you what a great ‘These young people wave their understanding of business and industry it is, and that the future need to be built into all new qualifications under the noses profitability, this culture is never training packages. is nothing but rosy with highly of prospective employers, only to going to change,’ asserts Richard. sophisticated vehicles urgently find that the employers want skills, ‘If there is no enthusiasm for skills All existing auto electricians needing the diagnostic skills of not quals. advancement, there can be limited smart auto elecs. These questions need to upskill to at least Cert scope for the workshop to demand IV which is now available, exercise the minds of most ‘You can’t blame the students. the right amount of money for dedicated trade teachers. covering technical and new Skills come with the quality of the their skills. Therein lies the second technologies like hybrids and training, time and experience. major issue. One of those who really shows other high end competencies, some concern about who is going as well as management ‘While there are complaints ‘I have never understood why, of functions. to be around to fix the busted that there are not enough auto all the trades, the auto electrician vehicles of tomorrow is Richard electricians in the trade, I suggest doesn’t seem capable of placing Jordan, currently relieving head that it is more a question of the a realistic value on his time and He believes that the confidence teacher in the auto electrical quality of auto electricians entering skills. which would follow improved section of Sydney’s Wetherill Park the trade, and how many stay in skills would translate into a more TAFE. the trade and continue to hone ‘Part of this problem may well profitable charge-out rate to the their skills. The modern vehicle has be that most customers are in customer. ‘It’s got nothing to do Given that auto electrical isn’t electrics which are lasting longer a negative frame of mind when with ripping off the customer, but exactly top of the chart for and requiring less maintenance.’ they walk into a workshop. They everything to do with providing desirable career choices, Richard didn’t plan on spending money on them with a service that’s so has a few theories to share on The amount of aftermarket work a car repair, therefore they want professional, so complete and so what happened to the industry, has declined, but skill levels must whatever has to be done, to be full of value, that every customer and how those who care enough rise to meet today’s diagnostic done at the lowest possible price. will drive away with an empty wallet can make it a better place. For the challenges. Faced with such customer culture, and a big smile on his or her face. record, Richard makes the point many workshops just bow to the If you can achieve that, you’ve got that other industries are suffering ‘Our college has graduated pressure. it made.’ from the same cultural and social a consistent average of 30 changes, so don’t read into his students every year for the past comments that auto electrical is the decade. But around half of those poor kid on the block.The current student numbers won’t be in the state of affairs in most trades can trade within five or ten years of be traced back 20 or 30 years, graduation. when governments, state and federal, were the major employers “They soon find that the dollars of apprentices of all types. don’t match the effort and knowledge. A young, growing It used to be an honour to gain an family with a mortgage can’t apprenticeship with a government afford to be an auto electrician or department. These days, private a mechanic without a well paid enterprise is the major employer spouse helping out. They soon of apprentices, and unlike find they can earn more by driving governments, private enterprise a truck, or sacrificing a bit of home expands and contracts with the time with the lucrative work in the resources industry. economy, sometimes even with the seasons. ‘If they are an employee in a small workshop - and that’s the majority The problem is that most Australian of workshops - they also soon business is ‘small’ business, and work out that there is limited scope in hard times, like last year, small for career advancement,’ adds workshops would have considered Richard. Many auto electricians taking on another apprentice as a have progressed to very well paid huge risk. jobs, but not on the workshop floor.

The Automotive Technician 38 7742 Burson Adv A4 21/11/08 3:12 PM Page 1

The Equipment Specialists All enquiries: VICTORIA / TASMANIA SCAN TOOLS, GAS ANALYSERS, EFI CLEANING AND AIR CONDITIONING ROB CAMERON 0412 959 348 IAN BATEMAN 0412 517 673 HOISTS JOHN WILKINS 0412 925 587 WHEEL SERVICE (Incl. ALIGNERS, BALANCERS, TYRE CHANGERS, BRAKE LATHES) BRIAN BUCK 0447 391 819

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